Results tagged “Hugh Freeze”

When Hugh Freeze took the podium at SEC Media Days just four years ago before the 2012 season, the expectations regarding the program were nearly as low as they could go. Freeze said during that press conference the goal of the season was competing for 60 minutes in each game and getting the program out of the "wilderness".

I grew up an Ole Miss fan during some pretty bleak years over the past decade. As a kid, the first whiff of football season every year was when the preseason magazines hit the shelves. Nearly every year was the same process to the point it was essentially a tradition for me. Look at the win-loss projection the magazine provided and figure out how Ole Miss was going to win six games and make a bowl. That would constitute a successful season, and I would be happy with it.

Flash forward four years, a "new normal" has been established in Oxford due to four straight bowl berths, back-to-back New Year's Six appearances, and back-to-back wins against the college football gold-standard Alabama.

Hugh Freeze has changed that mindset and upped the expectations each season. Ole Miss returns the best QB in the SEC and one of the best in the nation in Chad Kelly along with a the talented core that already checked off the Sugar Bowl from Freeze and nearly every Ole Miss fan's bucket lists.

Ole Miss' schedule is far from easy, as it includes the programs that have accounted for six of the last seven national championships in Alabama, Auburn and Florida State to go along already difficult SEC slate.

"I like to call it pretty much a gauntlet," Evan Engram said. "We want to be the team to take the cake this year, so we accept the challenge week in and week out."

While addressing the media, Hugh Freeze mentioned in particular Kelly's playing over the final seven games of the year. Over that span, Kelly tossed 17 TDs and averaged 311 yards per game in the air.

"I've been asked all morning about what he needs to do to improve," Freeze said. "I don't know that I can look at a lot of things and say, man, you're doing this really poorly, or -- he did everything for those last seven games pretty solidly."

Ole Miss has talent all over the field on both sides of the ball, but the 2016 season will go as No. 10 goes. He's every bit talented enough for Ole Miss to once again be in the championship picture again as the calendar turns to November.

It helps that most of the SEC is in a much less stable position at QB. Last season, Kelly threw 31 TDs. There are nine SEC West QBs still on rosters that played last season. They threw a combined 35 TDs.

Losing a first-round talent in Robert Nkemdiche and still feeling very optimistic about the ability of the defensive line gives a good indicator in the quality of the program.

"If you were to start to build a football team to compete in the Southeastern Conference, you would start with quarterbacks first and defensive line next," Freeze said. "We wish we had a little more depth (at defensive line), but we believe we're really, really talented there."

Jones along with Breeland Speaks, Marquis Haynes and Fadol Brown will no longer have the luxury of Nkemdiche being the focal point of offenses upfront and drawing so many double teams.

"I think we are a faster defensive line," Jones said. "We are a little more powerful. So I think as a unit we will get better."

Ole Miss also gets one more season of Issac Gross in opponent's backfields after he missed nearly all of last season with an injury. Adding in impact freshman Benito Jones, Ole Miss has nice depth upfront. Freeze said he would like to have more of it, but defensive line depth is a lot like money. You always want more of it.

When Hugh Freeze was hired as the 37th head coach in Ole
Miss football history Dec. 5, 2011, then-Chancellor Dan Jones along with
coaching search committee co-chairs Archie Manning and Mike Glenn knew they
were getting one of the best offensive minds in football. Just four years into
the Freeze era in Oxford, the Rebels have built a new normal of expectations
for Ole Miss Football.

Last year, it was the Landshark defense that led the Rebels
to an inaugural New Year's Six Bowl with the nation's best scoring defense. Fast
forward to 2015, it's the offense that has reached record-breaking heights to
pace the Rebels through another nine-win season (back-to-back 9+ regular-season
wins for the first time since 1961-62).

Ole Miss started off 2015 on a torrid pace, becoming the
first SEC team to score 73 or more points in back-to-back games. The 76-3 win
over UT Martin in the season opener was the most points in a game since 1935.
With that hot start to the season, it was evident that the 12 year-old school
scoring record (442 in 2003) was going to be broken. That vision came to
fruition in the 11th game of the season as the Rebels dominated rival LSU,
38-17, in the Magnolia Bowl. One week later, Ole Miss scored 38 points in
Starkville for the first time in 34 years to win the Egg Bowl and enter the postseason
scoring a school-record 483 points.

Ole Miss is averaging 40.3 points per game, which leads the
SEC and ranks 13th in the nation. The Rebels eclipsed the 50-point plateau four
times this season; in the previous 122 years of Ole Miss Football prior to
2015, just five times the Rebels managed to score 50+ points more than once
throughout a season.

To score points, you need to find the end zone. The Rebels
did that plenty of times throughout the 2015 campaign, scoring a program-record
62 touchdowns. In order to get to the end zone, you need to accumulate yards
and drive down the field. How does 6,177 total yards sound? That's how many Ole
Miss racked up through 12 games this season, the most in the SEC and 11th-most
nationally. Again, the Rebels have themselves another school record.

Freeze likes to spread the ball out, and the passing game
has become the Rebels' bread and butter since his arrival. Senior quarterback
Bo Wallace was the starting signal caller for Freeze's first three years at Ole
Miss. In 2014, Wallace, along with multiple offensive weapons around him,
helped Ole Miss earn a bid to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. This year, junior
Chad Kelly took the reins of Freeze's playbook and added his name to the list of
great quarterbacks at Ole Miss.

After a position battle throughout fall camp, Freeze decided
to give Kelly the start in the first two games, although Ryan Buchanan and
DeVante Kincade saw playing time as well. It was in that second contest that
Kelly emerged as the clear starter due to his strong, accurate arm accompanied
with moving the offense down the field like a well-oiled machine. The Buffalo,
New York, native continued to do that the following week, leading the Rebels to
another victory over No. 2 Alabama in the first road test of his Ole Miss
career. Beating Alabama in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school
history, Ole Miss made noise throughout the country, once again becoming
relevant.

Kelly continued to impress throughout the rest of the
season, putting up better numbers than any other quarterback in Ole Miss history,
including Archie and Eli Manning. He's tallied 3,740 yards through the air and
is responsible for 37 touchdowns, both school records that were once held by
the two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli. Kelly's seven 300-yard passing games is also the
most by a Rebel quarterback. Speaking of Manning, Kelly was named a finalist
for the Manning Award, which is presented annually to the nation's best
quarterback. His statistics that lead all SEC quarterbacks and rank among the
nation's elite have earned Kelly that recognition.

Along with his school-record passing mark, Kelly has also
rushed for 427 yards on the ground. His program-best 4,167 total yards of
offense is the sixth-most for an individual's season in SEC history. It's all
impressive for someone who is a first-year Rebel.

Of course, Kelly's individual records and the team's
offensive records would not have been reached without a plethora of talent
around the quarterback. Let's start with Laquon Treadwell, who bounced back
from his devastating injury last season. This year, he's been better than ever
as a Biletnikoff Award finalist. Treadwell has caught 76 passes for 1,082 yards
and eight touchdowns, including six 100-yard receiving games which is another
school record. The Crete, Illinois, native went through a stretch where he was
nearly impossible to stop, catching a touchdown pass in six straight games and
going over 100 yards receiving in five of them; both achievements had never been
accomplished before at Ole Miss.

Alongside Treadwell, Kelly distributes the ball at an
incredible rate. Ole Miss is one of four teams in the nation with seven or more
players who have caught at least 20 passes this season. Quincy Adeboyejo and Damore'ea
Stringfellow have combined for 12 touchdown receptions, while Cody Core has
added 553 receiving yards in his final season as a Rebel. Kelly is one of the
leading rushers on the team, but the running back trio of Jaylen Walton, Akeem
Judd and Jordan Wilkins has produced 1,433 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Of course, the skill players wouldn't have success without
the help of the offensive line. Providing protection for Kelly has been a
veteran group led by Preseason All-America left tackle Laremy Tunsil and Kent
Hull Trophy winner Fahn Cooper. Seniors Justin Bell, Aaron Morris and Ben Still
are the elder lettermen that are spending their final year at Ole Miss as part
of the most prolific offense in school history. Even freshmen Jordan Sims,
Javon Patterson and Sean Rawlings have provided plenty of playing time, including
starts, to assist in the effort.

Football is certainly a team game. The defense and special
teams unit need to play well; however, as Ole Miss awaits its bowl fate, the
high-powered offense paved the way for a possible berth to the Sugar Bowl. If
the season ended today, New Orleans would be the Rebels' bowl destination. Ole
Miss hasn't played in the Sugar Bowl since 1970, spanning almost half a century.
But with Alabama in position to make the College Football Playoff, the Rebels
would earn the bid as the second-highest ranked SEC team.

It seemed like it was just yesterday that the Ole Miss
football team continued through the motions of fall camp, and we all were just
ready for the season to finally begin. Fast forward with a little Talladega
up-tempo offense and we find ourselves at the halfway point of the Rebels' 2015
regular season. Where has the time gone? Let's take a look at where Ole Miss
has been, where they are now, and where they could be heading down the road.

First Half Review

Coming into the season, there was plenty of hype surrounding
the program. The Landshark defense that led the nation in points allowed per
game last year returned the majority of its unit despite losing All-Americans
Senquez Golson and Cody Prewitt. On the other side of the ball, quarterback Bo
Wallace graduated but the Rebels returned nine offensive starters. The biggest
question mark coming into the season was who would replace the three-year
signal caller.

While there were three quarterbacks competing for the
starting job throughout the spring and fall, head coach Hugh Freeze was hoping
one would emerge and separate himself from the other two. All three
quarterbacks saw action in the first two weeks, and the separation occurred in
game two versus Fresno State. Junior quarterback Chad Kelly led the
high-powered Ole Miss offense on seven straight touchdown drives in the Rebels'
73-21 victory. The job was his, and it could not have come at a better time as
the Rebels prepared to head to Tuscaloosa to face the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Becoming the first team in SEC history to score 73+ points
in consecutive games was an incredible achievement, but many people still
wondered if the Rebels were for real. Heading into the third week of the
season, even the fourth-year head coach was looking for the answer.

"If you ask me if we are ready for SEC play, I really don't
know," said Freeze. "I think we have a confident football team right now that
believes we can win. I believe we can win."

It turned out that the Rebels were in fact ready for SEC
play. Ole Miss took the field with energy and ready to prove that the win over
the Tide in Oxford last season was not a fluke. The special teams unit set the
pace on the opening kickoff, forcing a fumble to give the offense perfect field
position and put the game's first points on the board. It was one of five
turnovers Ole Miss forced throughout the night, leading to 24 points. The
Rebels led the entire game and limited the noise from the capacity crowd of
101,821 at Bryant-Denny Stadium; when the dust settled, it was Ole Miss who
emerged victorious once again over Alabama, 43-37.

Powder blue helmets and all, the Rebels wore the same
uniform combination from the last time they beat the Tide in Tuscaloosa (1988).
The victory also marked the first time Ole Miss defeated Alabama in
back-to-back seasons. Country music superstar Eric Church even realized the
significance of the victory, and wanting to take part in the celebration, led
the locker room in the Hotty Toddy chant after the game. The win was a big
deal. It proved that the Rebels belonged among the nation's elite. Ole Miss
became the talk of the college football world and rose to No. 3 in the AP poll.
Senior Trae Elston even represented Ole Miss on the cover of Sports
Illustrated.

While the victory was a monumental win, it was also just one
game, like all of the rest throughout the season. The Rebels had to get ready
for Vanderbilt and focus on the task at hand. The Commodores proved to be a
feisty bunch, and the Rebels did not put together one of their best
performances of the season. Nonetheless, Ole Miss protected Hollingsworth Field
for a 27-16 win.

Sitting at 5-0 and No. 3 in the country, the Rebels had a
big target on their backs and were getting everyone's best shot. Vanderbilt did
it the week before, so it would be no surprise that Florida would do the same,
especially under the lights of The Swamp. A perfect storm was brewing down in
Gainesville. One week prior, Jim McElwain's Florida team rallied from 13 points
down in the fourth quarter to shock Tennessee and keep the Gators' perfect
season alive. The win seemed to have given Florida some new-found confidence,
and that proved to be the case when UF and Ole Miss took the field. Florida
came out firing on all cylinders; the offense converted on third downs to march
down the field, while the defense kept the high-octane Ole Miss offense in-check
and forced four turnovers. The result was a 38-10 win for Florida, handing the
Rebels their first loss of the season.

The setback proved the difficulty of not only going
undefeated throughout the season, but it also brought out the grind of playing
in the SEC, especially away from home. The Rebels returned to their winning
ways with a 52-3 thumping of New Mexico State Saturday afternoon as part of the
Homecoming festivities. The offense racked up a season-high 665 yards, while the
Landshark defense allowed a season-low 239 total yards.

Where We Stand

After taking a look at the first half of the season, let's bring
things up to the present time. Ole Miss is 5-1 on the 2015 campaign, winning
five of its first six games for the second time since 2003 and also in
back-to-back seasons. The Rebels are 2-1 in SEC play with wins over No. 2
Alabama and Vanderbilt to go along with the loss to No. 23 Florida in The
Swamp. Although the College Football Playoff rankings won't come out for another
three weeks, Ole Miss is No. 12 in the Amway coaches poll No. 13 in the AP
poll.

Last season, the Landshark defense led the nation in
surrendering the fewest points per game. While the Landsharks still have their
fins up in 2015, it has been the offense that has shined brighter. Coach Freeze
has developed the Rebel offense into a well-oiled machine in his four seasons
in Oxford. Averaging 46.8 points per game, Ole Miss has scored 281 points this
year, which already surpasses point totals in five seasons this century. That's
a pretty impressive statistic considering we still have at least half of the
season remaining.

Kelly leads the potent offense, and the junior quarterback
stands atop the SEC in multiple categories: passing yards (1,862), yards per
completion (15.39), total offense (331.08 per game) and TD passes (14). A few
of those categories rank among the top 10 in the country. He's thrown for over
300 yards in four of the six games, which already ties Bo Wallace and two-time
Super Bowl champion/MVP Eli Manning for the most in one season. Again, this is
at the HALFWAY point of the season. Finally, Kelly's past has been talked about
ever since he arrived on campus and he has tried to put that behind him to
become the best person he can be on and off the field. It has shown; the young
man has matured and become a leader of the Ole Miss football team.

The wide receiving corps might be one of the best in the
country, led by junior Laquon Treadwell, who has bounced back from that
terrible injury he suffered versus Auburn last year. Treadwell has 35 catches,
nearly double that of Quincy Adeboyejo who is second on the team with 18
catches, five of those resulting in touchdowns. Adeboyejo and senior Cody Core
have been deep threats for Kelly, as Core averages over 20 yards per catch to
be among the SEC leaders in that category. Don't forget about Markell Pack,
Damore'ea Stringfellow and Evan Engram either; that trio has combined for 38
receptions. Needless to say, Kelly has options out in space.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Nkemdiche brothers
lead the way in tackles. Senior Denzel Nkemdiche's 38 tackles are a team high
and Robert Nkemdiche has tallied a Rebel best 5.5 tackles for loss. The younger
of the siblings put together his own highlight reel in the big win over No. 2
Alabama, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Robert is a do-it-all
athlete that provides an impact whenever he's on the field. Need any more
proof? He blocked a field goal and has found the end zone three times on
offense thus far. Also on the line is sophomore Marquis Haynes, who has
recorded 11.0 sacks in his short time at Ole Miss, already becoming a top-10
career sack leader for the program. In the secondary, Elston has
four interceptions, including two pick sixes.

Teams deal with injuries every year. It's part of the
physicality of football. Unfortunately, the injury bug has hit the Rebels hard
this season. Starting defensive lineman Issac Gross was lost for the season,
while 2014 All-SEC honorees Tony Conner and C.J. Johnson required surgery and
expect to miss at least four weeks with their respective injuries. On Saturday,
a total of seven starters did not play versus New Mexico State.

Speaking of starters not playing, All-American offensive
tackle Laremy Tunsil has not seen the field once this season, sitting out due
to an NCAA investigation of improper benefits. Earlier this week, the NCAA finally
announced its decision, suspending Tunsil for seven games, which means the
junior will be able to return when Ole Miss hosts Texas A&M, Oct. 24. A fan
favorite throughout his time at Ole Miss, Rebel Nation will be sure to give the
big man a warm welcome when he emerges from the tunnel and steps onto
Hollingsworth Field.

Looking Ahead

Fear not Rebel Nation; losses happen in college football.
Yes they're disappointing, but the probability of going undefeated in a season
is incredibly slim. Look at last season. A whopping zero teams ended the
campaign unbeaten. The team that hoisted the national championship trophy lost
by 14 points at home, in primetime, and to a team that finished the season with
a 7-6 record. Florida is currently ranked No. 8 with a record of 6-0, and The
Swamp has been known as one of the nation's most difficult places to play for
opposing teams.

Memphis, unbeaten and ranked No. 22 in the coaches poll,
awaits the Rebels. The Tigers have had two weeks to prepare for Ole Miss, and
the Memphis faithful has been anxious for this nationally televised game (11
a.m., ABC). When the Tigers held on for a narrow victory over Cincinnati, Sept.
24, Memphis fans could be heard chanting "we want Ole Miss" throughout Liberty
Bowl Stadium. The non-conference affair has plenty of implications. Memphis
looks to remain unbeaten and in line for a New Year's Six bowl game, while Ole
Miss hopes to improve to 6-1 and grab some momentum heading into the SEC West
gauntlet.

The trip to Memphis will be the Rebels' third road game
against a nationally ranked team. The schedule doesn't get any easier as the
season progresses. Texas A&M, Arkansas and LSU will come to Oxford to face
the Rebels. Ole Miss also has to hit the road for a matchup against Auburn on
Halloween as well as face Mississippi State in Starkville for the season-ending
Egg Bowl.

Yes, Ole Miss has a blemish on its schedule. However, the
loss was against an SEC East opponent. Doing some football math, going 1-1
against their two cross-divisional opponents plus a victory over an SEC West
foe (Alabama) equals the Rebels controlling their destiny to the SEC
Championship game. Ole Miss' remaining five conference games are all against
teams from the West, giving the Rebels control. It won't be an easy task due to
the stiff competition in the division, but if Ole Miss takes care of business
in each of those contests, we will be hearing "Hotty Toddy" echoing throughout
the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Along with the vision of an SEC crown, the bigger picture is
the Rebels' quest of making the College Football Playoff, which is still a
possibility. Once again, it requires Ole Miss taking care of business and that
starts on the road this weekend against Memphis. The sky is the limit for the
2015 Ole Miss football team. Coach Freeze and the Rebels know they have to
focus on the weekly task at hand, taking one game at a time in order to get
there. In this week's press conference, he mentioned the message to his team.
"Do your assignment and your job to the best of your ability with great
enthusiasm on that given play, and we'll see at the end of four quarters if
that was good enough." The Rebels need to continue living up to their season motto
and #TakeAStand.

The second half of the season is upon us. I'm sure the time
will fly by, so buckle up and enjoy the ride. We'll see what happens down the
stretch. Hotty Toddy!

It's finally here...game week! It's been 242 days since the
Ole Miss Rebels last took to the gridiron for a clash of the helmets. After a
successful 2014 campaign in which Ole Miss knocked off a No. 1-ranked team for
the first time in school history and earned a bid to a New Year's Six bowl,
Coach Hugh Freeze and the Rebs got back to work in the spring and have
continued to work hard throughout fall training camp. The 2015 Rebels are
anxious to run out on Hollingsworth Field inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium this
Saturday, the beginning of chapter four in the Freeze era.

"We
are really, really excited to get it going, as I'm sure every team is,"
noted Coach Freeze. "We feel as though we have had a successful camp and
now it is time to play."

The Rebels' fourth-year head coach fielded questions from the media on Monday,
the first weekly press conference of the year. The team's theme this
year is "Take a Stand," and Freeze is optimistic that accountability
from everyone will lead to a successful season.

"I like what I have seen in our attitude. I like the way we have taken care of
business in fall camp - I just think when you talk about accountability, great
teams understand that," said Freeze.

A veteran cast returns to help uphold that accountability.
Three-year starting quarterback Bo Wallace is gone, but 18 starters are back,
including seven from the nation's top scoring defense that limited opponents to
16.0 ppg last season. Five Rebels were named preseason first team
All-Americans, while several others collected preseason All-SEC accolades. All
five preseason All-Americans hail from the highly touted 2013 recruiting class
and are now upperclassmen as juniors. One of those juniors Rebel Nation is
excited to see return is wide receiver Laquon Treadwell. After suffering a
gruesome leg injury against Auburn last season, Treadwell is healthy and ready
to get back to action.

"I look forward to us throwing it to him for the first time, taking a
hit, going to the ground and then bouncing back up and lining up for the next
play," said Freeze. "I think that will bring a weird kind of smile to my face.
I'll know that he's back."

The amount of talent returning is impressive, but there are
also newcomers looking to make an instant impact. On offense, look for freshman
Javon Patterson to start at left guard. On the other side of the ball, Tony
Bridges has led the secondary in interceptions during fall camp. The JUCO
transfer plans to fill the void left by All-American Senquez Golson, who is now
a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Of course, the biggest question throughout the offseason has
been who will replace Wallace at quarterback. The Ole Miss record holder in
career total offense left some big shoes to fill, and three quarterbacks have
been in competition for the job. Freeze announced today that JUCO transfer Chad
Kelly will take the first snaps with the starters in practice and most likely
lead the Rebel offense in its first series on Saturday. However, Kelly has not
been named the official starter. Freeze expects both Ryan Buchanan and DeVante
Kincade to play Saturday, and he is confident with whoever is out there leading
the way.

"It is a very close competition. I like all three. All three of them
have different qualities that they bring," explained Freeze.

No matter who is at quarterback, the Rebels will be playing
in front of a packed crowd at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday. Season
tickets were sold out for the third straight season with a record 52,375
tickets purchased, the most season tickets sold in school history. Increasing
attendance at football games has become the new normal at Ole Miss.

It all begins on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. From the players on
the field to the fans in the stands, the Ole Miss family will come together as
the 2015 football season kicks off against UT Martin.

Only 50 days until The Grove is full, the constant shouts of "Hotty Toddy" are in the air, and football kicks off 100 years in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium! Looking forward to this upcoming college football season, seven Rebels were named to five different award watch lists last week. The honors continued this week with four national watch lists released to the public that featured Rebels making the cut.

Junior DB Tony Conner kicked off the week by being selected to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, an honor given to the best defensive back in college football. Starting in the Ole Miss secondary during his first two seasons as a Rebel, Conner recorded 135 tackles, 14 TFLs, two sacks and two interceptions. Along with his second team All-SEC accolades last year, the Batesville, Mississippi native has high expectations heading into 2015; he will be one of the leaders in the secondary after the unit lost Senquez Golson and Cody Prewitt to graduation.

Ole Miss had Rebels on both sides of the ball named to the Lombardi Award Watch List on Tuesday. Juniors Robert Nkemdiche (DT) and Laremy Tunsil (OT), a pair of two-year starters, found themselves on the watch list. Already named preseason All-America by various media outlets along with being added to multiple watch lists, there is no doubt both Rebels will apply pressure on opposing linemen this season. Nkemdiche is on five watch lists to lead all Rebels.

He may be somewhat new to the position, but that didn't stop senior linebacker C.J. Johnson to being named to the Butkus Award Watch List for the nation's top linebacker. Johnson isn't entirely new to playing linebacker, taking snaps there as a freshman in 2011; however, he has spent the rest of his Ole Miss career at defensive end. Overall, the senior Rebel has 137 career tackles, including 24.0 for loss and 11.5 sacks, to be an anchor for the Landshark defense.

Closing out the watch lists, junior wide receiver Laquon Treadwell was selected to the Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List today. Treadwell has received numerous preseason honors this summer, including
the Maxwell Award watch list and All-America first team accolades from
Athlon and Lindy's. After missing the final four games of the season due to injury, Treadwell has made progress throughout the spring and summer in hopes of returning to top form. Head Coach Hugh Freeze even spoke at SEC Media Days about Treadwell being ready to go for the fall, noting that he "feels more explosive."

Also with SEC Media Days finishing yesterday, six Rebels were named Preseason All-SEC by the media earlier today. Nkemdiche, Treadwell, Tunsil and tight end Evan Engram all made the first team. Conner was named to the second team, and sophomore Marquis Haynes was chosen on the third team. The entire release can be found here.

Below, you can find all of the Rebels that are featured on watch lists heading into the 2015 season.

The Ole Miss football team also collected an ESPY this week, winning
the Best Upset category at the annual sports awards show for the
victory over Alabama last season. Senquez Golson and Bo Wallace were in
attendance to accept the award on behalf of the Rebels.

Along with head coach Hugh Freeze, three Rebels will represent Ole Miss at the annual SEC Football Media Days next week. Junior Evan Engram, just named to the John Mackey Award Watch List for college football's most outstanding tight end, will join seniors Mike Hilton and C.J. Johnson on the final day of the conference event Thursday, July 16.

The 2015 SEC Football Media Days will take place July 13-16 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama. Ole Miss is paired with LSU and Georgia on the final day.

Engram, Hilton and Johnson are three Rebels that have been leaders of the football program; their leadership gave them the opportunity to represent Ole Miss in front of the national media.

In his career, Engram ranks top four in Ole Miss history in receptions (59),
receiving yards (930) and receiving touchdowns (5) by a tight end. Aside from the Mackey Award Watch List, other
preseason honors for him this summer include All-America first team
(Phil Steele, Lindy's, The Kickoff, CFB Matrix) and second team
(Sporting News, Athlon), as well as All-SEC first team (Phil Steele, CFB
Matrix, Lindy's).

Hilton, who will wear the No. 38 jersey this season as the 2015 Chucky Mullins Courage Award recipient, has started at least one game at every defensive backfield position throughout his Rebel career. Last season, he led Ole Miss with 71 tackles and also tied for 10th in the SEC with three interceptions.

Johnson, one of the anchors of the Landshark D that led the nation in scoring defense, was a game captain for all 13 games during the 2014 campaign. He moved from defensive end to linebacker in the spring, but could still see reps at both positions this fall.

SEC Network will cover the event live throughout the week, and ESPN will be on site as well. Complete coverage can be found here.

Ole Miss added to its already strong NFL presence with the selection of All-America cornerback Senquez Golson, who was drafted in the second round (56th overall selection) by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday night.

He became the second player drafted under head coach Hugh Freeze and the highest Ole Miss draft pick since Dexter McCluster was drafted in the second round (36th overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010.

Golson, the Rebels' first consensus and unanimous All-American since 2008, led the SEC and finished second nationally with a school record-tying 10 interceptions. ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Mel Kiper called it one of the best picks of the first and second rounds.

"That's one of the best picks of the second round," Kiper said. "Senquez Golson is an interception supreme. He had 16 career picks. He's a kid who's pound for pound one of the best football players in this draft. He has wide receiver hands.

"This kid is a heck of a football player. He's spunky, he will hit you, and when there's an opportunity to get a turnover, he's not going to drop the football. He's going to come away with the interception and get you the turnover and get you possession of the football."

"For a smaller corner, he will support the run," McShay said. "He's tough, he's physical, he's aggressive, he's everything you look for. You wish he was bigger and longer, but he plays to his potential and ability, and he's not afraid to mix it up."

"He is a ball-hawking type of corner," Lake said. "He has very good quickness, very good anticipation and awareness, and we are looking forward to having him in the building."

Looking ahead to tomorrow, fellow All-America defensive back Cody Prewitt, a projected third or fourth-round pick by NFL.com before the draft, is the fourth-best safety available, according to McShay, and the 10th-best safety available, according to Kiper.

"Golson is a corner who is only 5-foot-8 and 176 pounds, but what separates him is his ball skills. He played minor league baseball. The question is, how much does size matter? Golson is one of the best pure zone corners I've seen."

What he brings: He's a much better run defender than you'd expect given his small stature, and is fearless in attacking ball carriers. His cover skills are excellent, with his explosiveness and quickness, but he can get exposed by bigger receivers at times.

How he fits: The Steelers fill another big need on defense with Golson. After notching just 11 interceptions last season, they needed to find a playmaker in the back end. Golson, who has excellent anticipation skills and production (9 INTs in 2014), will help upgrade them in that department.

Ole Miss head football coach Hugh Freeze took home the long drive title at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament Monday.

He won the competition with a 287-yard drive, besting Arizona head football coach Rich Rodriguez, who finished in second place with a drive of 273.3 yards. With the win, Freeze received $5,000 to benefit the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson.

Freeze will team with Sean Tuohy and compete in the tournament round Tuesday. The duo and the 12 other university teams will play for a share of $500,000 in scholarships and charity, including a $125,000 first-place prize.

The tournament will be broadcast on ESPNU in August and December. Specific air dates will be announced this summer.

Check out the official release and photos, both courtesy the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl:

Hugh Freeze and Ross Bjork embarked on the Rebel Road Trip, the baseball team claimed their weekend series over Alabama that featured the largest crowd of the season and the football program's NFL presence is expected to grow with the NFL Draft next weekend. Here are some thoughts and opinions on the week that was:

- Headlined by Ole Miss football head coach Hugh Freeze and athletics director Ross Bjork headlined the fourth annual BancorpSouth Rebel Road Trip that featured 13 fan meetings over six days. Both Freeze and Bjork noted the same energy but a different belief and optimism than their first Rebel Road Trip together in 2012.

- Here's what Freeze had to say about his fourth Rebel Road Trip, speaking to reporters after the event: "I enjoy the meetings and seeing the Rebel people," Freeze said. "We ask them to come to our campus so much that the least we can do is to get out and be with them. The most difficult part for me is just being so out of touch with our players with exam time coming up and academic issues. It's just a long week, but it's so much fun being with the Rebel people and the passion that they have."

- And here's Bjork: "It's hard to believe, but it's still the same energy. What's been cool is that just about every place has been packed, really with the exception of one place, and the energy that's out there as far as away as Baton Rouge. Everybody's fired up about Ole Miss. That's what makes this worthwhile to do it. People get excited to see you. Winning makes people believe and gives them confidence and puts what we've been talking about into perspective that we can do it."

- Bjork, who recently agreed in principle to a contract extension that will keep him at Ole Miss through 2019, spoke about many of the same talking points on the tour in a question and answer earlier this month. In case you missed it, here's the State of the Program from April 14.

- The Ole Miss baseball team completed a 3-2 week, highlighted by a Saturday doubleheader sweep and home series win over Alabama, to improve to 23-22 overall and 10-11 in SEC play entering the final 11 games of the regular season, including weekend series at Missouri and then home series against Mississippi State and Texas A&M.

- Barring any rainouts, Ole Miss needs to go 6-5 over the final 11 games to finish two games over .500 and head to the SEC Tournament with a cushion. Ole Miss is currently tied with Auburn for eighth place in the SEC standings, 3.0 games ahead of Tennessee/Mississippi State, both at 7-14, for the 12th and final place in the SEC Tournament.

"You keep everything in perspective, and obviously today was disappointing," said Austin Knight after their loss Sunday. "But getting two of three and playing as well as we did Saturday was a good sign for us."

- As a team, Ole Miss swung it better this week, breaking double digits for runs in two of the five games and hitting at a .368 clip for the week, raising the team batting average 15 points to .262 for the season. Connor Cloyd tallied a multi-hit game in each of the five games, hitting .565 (13-for-23) with six runs scored and six RBI.

- Interesting stat II: After not hitting a home run in his first 183 career at-bats, Austin Knight hit home runs in back-to-back at-bats, the last at-bat of Saturday night's game and the first at-bat of Sunday afternoon's game.

- The Ole Miss men's and women's tennis teams will learn their NCAA Tournament destinations when the women's field is announced on Tuesday at 4 p.m., followed by the men's field at 4:30 p.m.

- The men, ranked No. 13 in the nation, are in good position to host the NCAA first and second rounds. The women, ranked No. 20 in the nation, are likely on the road for the NCAA first and second rounds, but perhaps because of their higher ranking, they will avoid one of the higher national seeds in the field.

- Senior Nik Scholtz, already the first Rebel to be named SEC Freshman and Player of the Year in a career, made some more history this past week. He was named to the All-SEC first team, becoming the first Rebel to be named to the All-SEC first team all four years.

- With three wins, two over Alcorn State and another over South Carolina, the Ole Miss softball team is one win shy of the most in school history, set during the 2005 season. The Rebels have four regular season games remaining, a midweek game at Mississippi Valley State and then a three-game series at Texas A&M, before starting play in the Southeastern Conference.

- Looking ahead to the 2015 football season, Freeze also spoke to reporters about the offseason strength and conditioning program for his team, headed by head football strength and conditioning coach Paul Jackson: "He'll have them ready. I have great trust in Paul and his staff, and he knows what he has to done for them to get into fall camp ready to roll."

- The Ole Miss football program is expected to add to its NFL presence with the 2015 NFL Draft next weekend, held Thursday through Saturday in Chicago and televised on ESPN and NFL Network. Cody Prewitt (No. 4 free safety, No. 124 overall player) and Senquez Golson (No. 16 cornerback, No. 129 overall players) are both projected fourth-round picks according to CBS Sports' latest NFL Draft prospect rankings.

- Prewitt and Golson would become the second and third players drafted during the Hugh Freeze era, joining Donte Moncrief, who was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of last year's NFL Draft.

Ole Miss head football coach Hugh Freeze will team with former All-SEC basketball player Sean Tuohy to represent the Rebels for the fourth straight year and compete for a share of the $520,000 total purse in the ninth annual Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament April 26-28.

The nation's premier head coach and celebrity golf event will be held April 26-28 at the Reynolds Plantation resort on Lake Oconee outside Atlanta. Over the past eight years, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Challenge has provided $4.7 million in scholarship and charitable contributions.

Freeze and Tuohy finished 7-under par for fifth place last year, their best finish in three years of competition at the event. In their three years of competition, Freeze and Tuohy have combined to earn $85,000 in scholarship funds for Ole Miss. Team Ole Miss has appeared in the Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament every year since 2009, earning a cumulative $147,500 in scholarship funds for the Rebels.

The Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge main event features pairings that include a university head coach and a celebrity or former athlete from the same school competing in a two-man scramble over 18 hotels. The tournament will be broadcast on ESPNU in August and December. Specific air dates will be announced this summer.

The 13 university teams will be vying for the $125,000 first-place prize, with all teams receiving a portion of the $520,000 scholarship purse. Freeze and Tuohy are paired with the N.C. State team of Dave Doeren and Terry Harvey in Group Five.

The field of competitors for the featured event is scheduled to include:

The baseball team claimed claimed their second series of the second over the nation's top-ranked team in dramatic fashion. The football team wrapped up spring practice. And the men's and women's tennis teams closed out their respective regular seasons and will compete in their respective SEC Tournaments this week. Here are some thoughts and opinions on the week that was:

- For the baseball team, the weekend turned on one swing of a bat, a grand slam off the bat of Colby Bortles to tie Vanderbilt 5-5 in the top of the ninth Friday night. The Rebels later won the game in the 16th inning and carried the momentum and claimed the series with a 5-4 win in the series finale Saturday.

"Over the years, we have played really well against the No. 1 team, and we have come out on the right side of a lot of those games," said head coach Mike Bianco. "But I don't know if I have ever been more proud of a team to come on the road against the No. 1 team, after losing a midweek game, and face a team this talented; we just played great all weekend long."

- Tip of the hat to the Ole Miss bullpen, which threw 15.2 scoreless innings this weekend, highlighted by senior Scott Weathersby, who went a career-long 6.0 innings and allowed just two hits with one walk and a career-high 10 strikeouts. He came into the game with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 11th inning and struck out the first two batters he faced and then got the third batter to fly out to end the threat.

- Freshman Will Stokes, making his fourth career start, put together a career outing and earned his first career win. He went a career-long six innings, giving four runs and scattering seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

- With the series win, Ole Miss back to .500 overall (18-18) with a 7-8 mark in league play at the halfway mark of the Southeastern Conference series. The Rebels have 20 regular season games remaining, including SEC home series against Alabama, Mississippi State and Texas A&M and SEC road series at Auburn and Missouri.

- The football team wrapped up spring practice with the Grove Bowl on Saturday. The Blue team, quarterbacked by Chad Kelly, got the better of the Red team, quarterback by Ryan Buchanan, by a score of 17-7. The game featured big plays for both teams, including a 66-yard touchdown pass from running back Jaylen Walton to wide receiver Damore'ea Stringfellow on a halfback pass. Check out the recap, final stats and more here.

- Other than Freeze saying that Buchanan held a small lead entering the Grove Bowl, the most interesting thing to come out of the post-Grove Bowl media opportunity was co-offensive Dan Werner, who said they tweaked a few things in the running game, specifically that they got some ideas from some other teams that run similar offenses. The running game, based on what coaches have said and what we have seen in open scrimmages, appears to have taken a step forward.

- Someone asked me who would be my MVP of the Grove Bowl. I would say probably either Jordan Wilkins, who finished with 62 yards rushing on just six carries, including a 28-yard run, or Stringfellow, who hauled in three receptions for 98 yards, including that 66-yard touchdown reception.

- Perhaps the play of the Grove Bowl was cornerback Tony Bridges, who appeared to have gotten beat by the receiver, then recovered and broke up a deep pass down the sideline. Both him and fellow cornerback Tee Shepard impressed throughout the spring.

- The men's tennis team earned a split on the final weekend of Southeastern Conference play, including a key 4-2 win on the road at South Carolina that helped the Rebels earn the No. 4 seed and a double-bye in the SEC Tournament this week. Ranked No. 14 in the nation, Ole Miss can likely play their way into hosting for the NCAA first and second rounds.

- Junior Stefan Lindmark finished the season undefeated in the SEC (8-0), becoming the fifth player in school history and the first since 2009 to go undefeated.

- The women's tennis team won both its matches this past week, sweeping Arkansas-Pine Bluff 7-0 and defeating Mississippi State 4-3. With a win over UAPB, senior Julia Jones became the seventh player in program history to win 100 singles matches. With the win over Mississippi State, the Rebels have now won 26 straight against the Lady Bulldogs.

- Check out Ole Miss Sports Productions' season recap videos for your Ole Miss men's basketball and women's basketball teams. Great work as always by their talented team.

- The major league baseball season began this past Sunday, and six former Ole Miss players began the season on opening-day rosters. That number has now grown to seven with the recent call-up of Matt Tracy, giving the program an SEC-best seven former players on major league baseball rosters.

- I sat down with Director of Athletics Ross Bjork to discuss the state of Ole Miss Athletics. Look for the full question and answer with him on the official website early this week . We discussed a wide range of topics that will be of interest for fans.

At one point, co-offensive coordinator Dan Werner said, all three quarterbacks had completed around 66 percent of their passes, a testament to how close the competition has been this spring. Going into the Grove Bowl, Freeze said one had a slight lead, but even that might have changed after the game itself Saturday.

"After one drill I'd like that one, after the next drill I'd like that one," Freeze said. "So, I go back and forth. In the totality of spring, going back before today, I would say that Ryan Buchanan had a lead in my mind. That certainly doesn't mean that he is going to be the starter. After today I will go back and watch the film and put it with our cumulative stats and everything else that we are judging on them. We will see where it is after today.

"Again, even if we say that he has the lead, it is so minute and so small and so far from being over. That is everything being transparent and that is how I felt today. I might feel differently come Monday. I will watch the film this weekend and we will see."

Junior quarterback Chad Kelly had the best statistical day of the group, completing 9-of-19 passes for 104 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Sophomore quarterback DeVante Kincade was 9-of-18 for 93 yards and also rushed for 50 yards on 10 carries, while fellow sophomore quarterback Ryan Buchanan was 5-of-16 for 49 yards with an interception.

"I feel like I really improved since the start of camp," Buchanan said. "Like I have said from the beginning, being behind Bo, you don't get as many of the first-team reps and don't go against the first-team defense. This spring, we had a chance to do that, and gradually I feel like I improved with my decision-making.

"I feel like I have made improvements, but I know for a fact that I can do way better," Kincade said.

Earlier this spring, Freeze said he expected the competition to continue into the middle of fall camp, but if it stays as close as it appears to be right now, it might continue into the season itself.

"If they are as close as they are now, I could see us going a couple games making sure we have done due diligence in naming a starter," Freeze said. "But, I do not want to do it beyond that or even if that. It wouldn't shock me to go into week one planning to give them all reps to look at how they do when the lights come on. We won't go too long like that. I don't mind playing a couple, but you need to have a guy that is your guy when the time comes."

Revamped Running Game

Ole Miss returns its two leading rushers from last season in senior running back Jaylen Walton (106 carries, 586 yards, five touchdowns) and sophomore running back Jordan Wilkins (52 carries, 361 yards, one touchdown), but the Rebels appear to have made some changes in the ground game.

"We tweaked a few things," Werner said. "We got some ideas from some other teams that run similar offenses and it's been really good for us."

Despite just 10 healthy offensive linemen by the end of the spring, one of the areas where Freeze was most pleased this spring was the running game, and it showed in the Grove Bowl.

Wilkins led the way with six carries for 62 yards, highlighted by a 28-yard run, but sophomore Eugene Brazley and redshirt freshman Akeem Judd had their moments as well. Walton even threw a 66-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Damore'ea Stringfellow on a halfback pass.

"We have a bunch of good backs," Werner said. "They're in a situation where they have so many guys who are really good players that they have to compete. When you get a chance to run the ball, you better make a good run."

Jones, Hampton Among Spring Surprises

Freeze has said they are searching for more consistency at the wide receiver position, but when asked earlier this week who has been the biggest surprise of spring practice, the first name that came to his mind was junior wide receiver Derrick Jones.

Jones credited another year in the program and the confidence of playing on just one of the ball for his breakout spring. In the Grove Bowl, he led the Red team with three catches for 35 yards.

"It gives me a lot of confidence, knowing that I'm going to be in this spot and keep working at one position, and not wondering if I'm going to be a cornerback or a receiver," Jones said.

Sophomore defensive back C.J. Hampton was another name that Freeze mentioned as players who have impressed this spring. After a year learning behind All-American safety Cody Prewitt, Hampton is now competing for playing time at free safety, and he was named the most improved defensive player of the spring.

"Cody was on hard me last year," Hampton said. "He wanted me to learn. He always said I was good enough and that I had to learn it fast. I learned it, and I'm rolling with it now. I still talk to Cody a lot now."

Former Ole Miss head coach Billy Brewer almost did not sign Chucky Mullins, whose memory has been honored with the Chucky Mullins Courage Award.

Nate Wayne, a four-year letterman for the Rebels and the 1997 recipient of the award, who was a special guest at this year's ceremony, shared a similar story of how his high school coach convinced Coach Brewer to offer him a scholarship.

Fittingly, this year's winner, senior defensive back Mike Hilton, followed a similar path to Ole Miss.

Then a 5-foot-9, 175-pound athlete from Sandy Creek High School in Fayetteville, Georgia, Hilton was not the highest-profile football prospect.

Hilton was a 247Sports composite three-star prospect, the No. 71 ranked player in Georgia by Rivals.com and the No. 78 running back in the nation by Scout.com. But something about him grabbed the attention of one coach, which made all the difference.

"I almost did not sign him," head coach Hugh Freeze said. "I almost messed it up. He had some academic issues at first and he was undersized. I had three weeks to recruit him and I was not sure that he was going to make it. Matt Luke went to one of their practices. They had five Division I players on that team, and he said there was no question who the alpha dog was on the field and that we had better take this kid."

Since stepping on campus in the fall of 2012, Hilton has been a key contributor on Ole Miss defense, playing in 36 games with 28 starts, including a start at every position in the defensive backfield. He led the Rebels with 71 tackles last season, to go along with 4.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions and seven pass break-ups.

Hilton started the spring at Rover safety, before suffering a broken thumb that ended his spring practice. But come the fall, Hilton will be one of the leaders on the Ole Miss defense, wearing Mullins' No. 38 jersey, whether it's at that Rover safety position, or one of the other starting spots in the defensive backfield.

"I have always been undersized, so I knew I had to put forth that extra effort," Hilton said. "You have to have the mentality to do what you have to do on and off the field, and I have been able to do that. I'm thankful for the coaches to give me an opportunity to come out here and do what I do and also show what I can do off the field."

Speaking about Mullins, Freeze said the one thing he keeps coming back to is something that Tea Southerland, the 1992 winner of the award, said. Southerland said it was one of the highest honors he'd ever received, which Freeze said is a great statement, but the statement that followed really grabbed him. He said, "I wonder if Chucky would say they got the right guy."

Freeze said the one thing he knows that the right kind of people have is the ability to finish. That doesn't mean you don't stub your toe or you fall down, but they finish. Hilton, Freeze said, is the one guy they kept coming back to represent the spirit of Mullins.

"We have made our kids understand that if you get award this award, it's a big deal," Freeze said. "It's the highest award that our program gives, and it comes with a lot of responsibility. This year, out staff had a difficult selecting it, not because we couldn't the one, but because we had five who were all deserving. That's a good sign for our program."

"When I put that 38 on, nothing else mattered, said Wayne, who also enjoyed an eight-year professional career in the NFL. "It wasn't just about me. It was about my wife, my daughter, my family, my Ole Miss family and Chucky. At that point, I realized that every decision I made didn't just affect me. It affected everyone involved with me. If it wasn't for that mentality, who knows where I would be today."

Three areas to watch as Ole Miss splits into two teams for the annual Regions Bank Grove Bowl on Saturday.

Can Someone Emerge in the Quarterback Battle?

By all indications, sophomores Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade and junior college transfer Chad Kelly have split reps evenly this spring.

The coaches have charted every throw and every drill, but there does not appear to be any true separation, and head coach Hugh Freeze has said he expects the competition to continue into the middle of fall camp.

Freeze and co-offensive coordinator Dan Werner were both generally pleased with the play of all three quarterbacks in their last scrimmage, but Freeze did say that Buchanan graded out the best of the three.

What does their last opportunity to impress the coaches before summer workouts and fall camp hold?

As with previous observations of the quarterbacks, there's a caveat: The offense is not yet at full strength, particularly along the offensive line, where the Rebels have just 10 healthy players.

Physical Play on the Outside

More than any other matchup on the field, I found myself watching the wide receivers and tight ends working against the defensive backs. The play is physical, and the players appear to take each play personally.

Perhaps the most physical on the offensive side of the ball, Laquon Treadwell, will not be participating in the Grove Bowl, but Quincy Adeboyejo, Cody Core and Markell Pack have all returned from their respective injuries. Derrick Jones has also been one of the biggest surprises of spring practice and he's another player to watch.

On the defensive side of the ball, Tony Bridges and Tee Shepard are long, athletic and physical, and they pride themselves on being able to play on an island by themselves. Kendarius Webster is another long, athletic and physical corner. Like Derrick Jones, C.J. Hampton has been another surprise of spring practice.

It should be fun to watch on Saturday.

Battle in the Trenches

The Ole Miss defensive line was one of the most talented units in the nation last year. This year, the group may be even better with a year of maturity and experience for returnees and the addition of a trio of redshirt freshmen in Victor Evans, Garrald McDowell and Breeland Speaks and junior college transfer D.J Jones.

That being said, one of the areas where Freeze has been most pleased this spring has been in the running game, a credit to an offensive line that continues to deal with injuries and a group of running backs that may have found their stride this spring. Akeem Judd is one name that has popped up a lot this spring.

Junior Jeremy Liggins, who has transitioned to offensive tackle, and redshirt freshman Jordan Sims and freshman Javon Patterson, who have both come a long way this spring, are three players to watch along the offensive line.

By splitting into two teams, with five healthy offensive linemen each, it may be hard to tell if there's any improvement in the running game on Saturday, but it's something to watch nevertheless. And it will certainly be something to watch when the Rebels will likely have a full complement of healthy players come fall camp.

Through the first seven spring practices, or three weeks since the start of spring practice on March 3, there does not appear to be any separation between sophomores Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade and junior college transfer Chad Kelly.

Whether you talk to head coach Hugh Freeze, or one of the quarterback competitors, they all have one overarching goal for the position: consistency.

"We're charting every single throw, and it's really close between all three," Freeze said. "It really depends on the day. Ryan has had his great days, Kincade has done well at times, and so has Chad. We're compile it all after this week and look at it again, but it's really close."

"All of them look great," sophomore wide receiver Laquon Treadwell said. "It's still a learning process for them. They don't have a lot of experience going live against the first-team defense and doing all the things we do every day, but they all look good and they're all making plays."

Every snap and every series, Buchanan and Kincade said, it's a challenge to stay consistent and do the little things right to separate themselves in the quarterback competition.

"I feel like I have gotten progressively better each camp from fall to spring the last couple of years," Buchanan said. "The biggest thing is you have to do it life. I can sit in meetings and know exactly where everything is supposed to be, but you have to make on-the-second decisions when you're out there."

"Every day, you have to bring it, no matter where you are," Kincade said. "Anywhere you go, it's going to be a competition. You have to bring your 'A' game every time you're on the field."

Every practice, they face a defense that boasts seven returning starters from the nation's No. 1 scoring defense.

They're also short-handed on the offensive side of the ball with only eight healthy offensive linemen as well as injuries to sophomore wide receiver Markell Pack and senior wide receiver Cody Core, joining Treadwell and senior wide receiver Collins Moore, who were already being held out.

"We can force our defense to be in some vanilla looks and we look a lot better then," Freeze said. "When they're who they want to be, it's been quite challenging to have successful plays for sure."

Injuries and Opportunities Along the Offensive Line

The Rebels were already without a trio of offensive linemen at the start of spring practice and the injury list has only grown longer three weeks into it.

"We're struggling to just stay healthy," Freeze said. "We're losing kids to some freak injuries that have certainly made reps more difficult. That's part of the game.

"On the offensive line, we're down to about eight guys. It's a struggle. There are a lot of good looking ones standing on the sideline. At receiver, Markell (Pack) and Cody (Core) are hurt. Laquon (Treadwell) and Collins (Moore) are already out. We're facing some adversity right now offensively."

"We have who we have for spring," Freeze said. "Hopefully, Markell and Cody are not out significantly long. On the offensive line, it doesn't look like we will get any of them back for spring."

Freeze praised the effort of the younger and less-experienced players, stepping up and having to go a lot of reps with the first-team and second-team offenses. Of the injured offensive linemen, Freeze said he is hopeful they will be ready for summer workouts.

Those injuries along the offensive line have also presented an opportunity for younger players, such as Patterson, an early enrollee, and Liggins, who has moved to offensive tackle.

"He's getting all the reps he wants," said Freeze of Patterson. "He's having to go with the one's some and the two's some. He's getting all the reps he wants. All of them are. I'm really pleased with him. He's going to be a really good player. I'm really excited about him."

"It's going really well," said Freeze of Liggins. "He has really good feet. He's picked it up as well as I would have hoped. There are times, just like with any offensive lineman, where you get these strange looks that you really didn't work on in individual work that may be moving a little fast for him. That's not just him. That's all of them. I really think he's a talented kid there."

QUOTABLE

Freeze, on the defense: "Defensively, I'm really, really pleased. I think we have a chance to be really good on that side of the ball. Certainly, it's going to make us better going forward having to practice against the speed and length that our defense plays with."

Freeze, on Saturday's scrimmage: "It's been a very physical spring thus far. I'm hoping that Saturday, when we get there, we will have enough healthy guys to have a quality scrimmage to see if we have made some significant improvements because we have spent an enormous amount of time on technique and individual work."

Freeze, on quarterback Chad Kelly: "I'm really pleased with everything he's done to this point. It's a process. I'm very aware that any of these young men can make a decision that's wrong. He's got very little rope to do that with, but i'm really with him to this point. He studies film. He's a competitor. He's a team guy. That's been my experience with him thus far."

Freeze, on cornerback Tony Bridges: "He's a long, athletic corner and he's physical. Him and Tee Shepard, they're both playing really well at corner right now. They're a little too aggressive sometimes, particularly when they're on an island. They're very aggressive and long."

Freeze, on wide receiver Laquon Treadwell: "We're probably going to hold him out. He goes through all the one-on-ones and routes versus air, but we haven't put him in any team situation yet."

Treadwell, on Kelly: "Chad is competing. He's learning and he's making plays. Every day, he's competing and that's going to help the team a lot."

Buchanan on the quarterback competition: "They're tracking each throw and each decision, and I know I have to make the most out of every single snap and every single series I go in and do the best I can."

Buchanan, on Kelly: "He has a great arm. He can spin the ball really well. He's getting used to the playbook and getting used to having to make decisions against our defense, but he's good. He's a good quarterback."

Kincade, on the quarterback room: "It's fun competing. I love competing. If he makes something good happen, I tell him. If I make something good happen, he tells me, and we tell Ryan the same. We all share with each other."

Ole Miss began spring practice Tuesday, and for the first time under head coach Hugh Freeze, the Rebels will have a starting quarterback not named Bo Wallace. With the graduation of Wallace, sophomores Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade, as well as junior college transfer Chad Kelly, will split equal reps this spring.

"We're going to be very thorough in our evaluations by charting every single drill that they do," Freeze said. "We'll look at stats from those. It's going to a very competition three-man deal. They will be in a constant rotation, and everyone will get equal reps with the 1's and the 2's. The main thing you want to see is who can handle hard coaching and who can understand what we're trying to get accomplished with what we have called and then being able to execute and take care of the ball, which is always a priority."

It's the first true quarterback competition in Oxford since the 2012 season, when Wallace beat out Barry Brunetti for the starting job. In that case, Freeze did not name Wallace his starting quarterback until two days before the Rebels' season opener against Central Arkansas, and it may a similar case this season between Buchanan, Kelly and Kincade.

"It would probably have to be so clear-cut for me to do that this spring, knowing the personalities of who I'm dealing with and the time between now and fall," said Freeze of naming a starting quarterback in the spring. "A lot of dynamics play into that. It's probably not going to be a clear-cut decision at the end of spring and will continue through summer workouts. It's time for that room to be the leaders of this team. With that, comes some responsibility, and we have them to understand that throughout summer workouts."

Changes on Defense

Freeze had already announced one position change during his National Signing Day press conference. That change was moving Jeremy Liggins to offensive tackle, although he will likely continue to play some tight end and "Wildcat" quarterback. But there are also changes on the other side of the ball.

The changes on the defensive side are familiar, but they are notable. Freeze announced that senior Mike Hilton, who has started a game at every defensive backfield position, will start the spring at one of the safety positions, as they try to find the best rotation in the defensive backfield.

"We think we he have a lot options (in the secondary)," Freeze said. "We're going to start Tony (Bridges) and Tee (Shepard) at cornerback and start Mike Hilton at one of the safety positions, knowing that he's played them all and can do that. If we think there's a better rotation, we won't hesitate to move them around"

Freeze also said that senior C.J. Johnson will get a look at Mike linebacker, a position that Freeze called their biggest question mark right now. Johnson was originally recruited as a linebacker and began his Ole Miss career at the position, and he will join senior Christian Russell and junior Temario Strong in looking to replace Deterrian Shackelford and Keith Lewis.

"We are going to see this spring," said Freeze of Johnson playing Mike linebacker. "I don't know (how he will perform), it is hard to say. I know he can run and tackle. I know he is smart and really understands the defense. It is a different role, playing there. But that's where we are going to put him and see how it goes this spring. We can always move him back down to the defensive line. We are going to see how he performs this spring."

D. Nkemdiche, Treadwell Return from Injury

The Rebels will be without a trio of offensive linemen in junior Laremy Tunsil and senior Aaron Morris, two returning starters, as well as sophomore Daronte Bouldin, but the Rebels will welcome back a talented trio of players in junior wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, senior linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche and junior cornerback Tee Shepard.

"I expect Denzel and Quon, both, to be back," Freeze said. "Denzel, right away. Quon, after spring break. He will do some things but not a lot this week. Robert Conyers will go after spring break also. The others, Daronte (Bouldin), Aaron (Morris), and Laremy, will not participate in spring practice. Tee will be full-go. Carlos Davis, we'll see where is after spring break."

With the injuries along the offensive line, it is a great opportunity for freshman offensive lineman Javon Patterson, an early enrollee, who was rated a five-star prospect and listed as the No. 1 offensive guard in the nation by 247Sports.com.

"I told him yesterday that we he will get all the reps he wants, and then some," Freeze said. "It's going be good for him. He's going to get plenty of reps. i'm really excited about him. He's exactly the type of student-athlete you want. He's a great kid, first, and he's going to be an outstanding player. Getting him enrolled early and getting an extra spring with him will be big for him. He will get plenty of reps to get looked at this spring."

The Southeastern Conference announced today Kickoff '15, its annual football media days, will be held July 13-16, remaining at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham - Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala. The event will continue to be four days in 2015.

The 2014 edition featured an additional fourth day to the event, and it will remain the same for the 2015 edition. Hugh Freeze and the Ole Miss contingency will be in the Magic City on the final day, Thursday, July 16, and grouped with Georgia and LSU.

ESPN will once again bring SEC Media Days to a national audience, with the SEC Network making its debut at the event to close out a historic first year for the newly launched network. The network will have live coverage all four days.

A more detailed daily schedule with full television information, rotational breakdown and student-athletes attending will be available later this summer.

The previous four SEC Football Media Days have drawn over 1,000 attendees, including over 1,200 attendees each of the last two years.

National Signing Day has come and gone, the Mike Smith Era began in earnest, and the men's basketball team has run its winning streak to five games, its longest win streak since the 2012-13, when the Rebels won the SEC Tournament Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Here are some thoughts and opinions on the week that was:

- Head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff won some and lost some on National Signing Day, as they put together a 22-member class, ranked as high as No. 15 in the nation (247Sports.com), and as low as No. 21 in the nation (RIvals.com). The class included 18 players rated a four-star prospect or higher by at least one recruiting service, the most in program history, including offensive lineman Javon Patterson and wide receiver DaMarkus Lodge, the seventh and eighth five-star prospect signed under Freeze

"You lose some battles when you are battling for some of the nation's best," Freeze said. "Every school does. We had a few of those, but we also won many, many battles for kids who really wanted to be at Ole Miss and this program representing this great university. I'm excited to get to work with them."

- Among the battles won were the last three players signed in Lodge, who announced his college decision live on ESPNU, choosing the Rebels over Texas and Texas A&M, defensive lineman Austrian Robinson, who chose them over Maryland, and wide receiver Van Jefferson, the son of 13-year NFL veteran Shawn Jefferson, who chose them over Georgia, Michigan and Oklahoma, as well as linebacker Shawn Curtis, who flipped his commitment from Pittsburgh.

- Speaking to some of the recruiting battles lost, Freeze said he and his staff will revisit the entire recruiting process, including allowing commitments to take other visits, gong through every kid on their board and talking about the outcome, the good and the bad, why it did not their way in the end, and could they have done anything different. On a related note, looking ahead to 2016, Freeze said of addressing needs on the offensive line, defensive line and linebacker with mid-year signees, whether it's JUCO or high school players.

- One of the more underrated aspects of the 2015 signing class are the five mid-year enrollees, a group that includes the top junior college quarterback (Chad Kelly), defensive lineman (D.J. Jones) and cornerback (Tony Bridges). All three players, as well as junior college linebacker Terry Caldwell and early enrollee Javon Patterson are expected to feature prominently in spring practice and push for playing time come the fall.

- In case you missed it, here's a National Signing Day link roundup of videos and stories related to the signing class as a whole and videos and stories related to individual signees.

- The men's basketball team extended its winning streak to five games, defeating Texas A&M 69-59 Wednesday night, its third top-50 RPI win of the season, and then going on the road and defeating Auburn 86-79, moving to 3-2 in SEC road games this season. With the wins, the Rebels remain in a three-way tie for second place in the SEC standings and moved up to No. 37 in the latest RPI rankings released by the NCAA.

- The story against Texas A&M was a locked-in defensive effort, holding the Aggies' two leading scorers, Jalen Jones and Danuel House, to a combined 14 points on 5-of-19 shooting, and two key 3-point plays by LaDarius White and M.J. Rhett to push the lead to 59-50 with 6:26 left.

- LaDarius White led the way with 20 points, making big play after big play, but it was a team effort throughout the lineup, as five Rebels finished in double figures in the win over Auburn. The nation's top free-throw shooting team, the Rebels closed out the game from the line, going 10-of-12 in the final 1:28 to finish 28-of-38 for the game.

"Ole Miss is really comfortable with their nine players," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "That's what makes them a really good and a contender is that they don't drop off at all when they go to their bench."

- Watching the Ole Miss-Auburn game on television, you could sense the energy in Auburn Arena, whether it was the memories of the Marshall Henderson jersey-pop, or the culture change under first-year head coach Bruce Pearl. The Pavilion at Ole Miss, set to open next season, will have a similar design and capacity, so fans watching the game got a taste of what the game day atmosphere might be like next season.

- Looking ahead, the Rebels have their first of two Thursday-Saturday swings, traveling to Florida on Thursday and playing host to Arkansas on Saturday. The Gators are ranked No. 67 in the latest RPI rankings and No. 35 in the latest KenPom.com ratings, while the Razorbacks are ranked No. 25 in the RPI and No. 31 in KenPom.

- The women's basketball team, looking for its first win at Vanderbilt since Jan. 8, 1987, led for 27:00, leading by as many as 16 early in the second half, but the Rebels were unable to overcome 42 second-half points from the Commodores in a 58-54 loss on Thursday night.

- Ole Miss, now 14-9 overall and 4-6 in SEC play, has six regular season remaining, starting with a home game against No. 6 Tennessee on Thursday. Head coach Matt Insell has said his team likely needs to get to at least eight SEC wins to garner NCAA Tournament consideration, so the Rebels likely need at least a split of the final six regular season games.

- The Ole Miss softball team kicked off the Mike Smith Era with six games in four days at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Arizona, going 3-3 with wins over San Jose State, Fresno State and Western Michigan. The Rebels are on the road for five games in three days next weekend, before returning home for the Red and Blue Classic (Feb. 20-22), playing host to UT-Martin, Nebraska-Omaha, Southern Illinois and Middle Tennessee State.

- The Ole Miss baseball team opens the 2015 season next weekend with a three-game home series against William & Mary, starting with the series opener Friday at 4 p.m. The Ole Miss baseball preseason press conference is set for Monday, so stay tuned for more coverage leading up to the season opener.

- The No. 24 ranked Ole Miss women's tennis picked up a pair of road wins, defeating No. 29 Texas Tech and No. 32 Rice. The Rebels return home for each of their next three matches, starting with Tulane on Friday (2 p.m.), before opening SEC play on Friday, Feb. 27 with a road match at Kentucky.

- The No. 19 ranked Ole Miss men's tennis team was off this past weekend, returning to action Monday for its home opener against Troy, before traveling to Chicago for the ITA National Team Indoor (Feb. 13-16).

Head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff landed a top-15 class for an unprecedented third straight year Wednesday. Including mid-year enrollees, the 22-member class boasts 18 players rated a four-star prospect or higher by at least one recruiting service, the most in program history, including the seventh and eighth five-star prospects signed under Freeze.

Recent Comments

How can you have five straight top 25 recruiting classes and look as bad as Ole Miss has this year. Easy lack of coaching fundamentals. Look at Mason at Vandy, nothing but 2 and 3 star recruits out of high school and he developers players that want to win. Hugh freeze has 3, 4 & 5 recruits and he expects them to win because of what they were in High School. Mr. Freeze you have not been teaching the fundamentals of football or winning in life. Mr. Freeze you have quit on your players because you have some false expectations of what they are instead of what you can develop in them. Either do your job or quit. Oh yea, please quit running your smoke and mirrors offense, everyone has figured it out. Run a physical offense that can open up holes for your running backs and then your pass attack want require 12 are 14 four and five star receivers. Mr. Freeze you have problems and you need to know that you are not smarter than the rest of the coaches in the SEC.

Not every pass can be caught. Too low, too short whatever. Not every Kelly pass is perfect. Records were broken by receivers also. But they sre not going to catch every ball thrown. The loss to Auburn was not one players fault. You win or lose as a team.

Hey I was just wandering if these are the only 2 olemiss players signing. If there are more signing please respond to me ASAP. Also wondering if neil everett will sign any autographs. Thank you very much